When athletes become fatigued in the legs, it is common to see them leave the ground for a box jump by bringing their knees up first. When this happens, they are missing the upward hip extension that will help them float to the top. Coming off deadlifts, extending the hips all the way before brining the knees up will allow athletes to move more efficiently on the box.

Pivot and Step Down

Pacing is an important aspect to today’s workout. While athletes may be capable of rebounding the box jump overs, this can be much more metabolically taxing. Especially when we are looking to quickly transition to the Push Jerks, a more methodical approach may pay off. When athletes land on the box, they can pivot off one foot in order to face the direction they are going on the next rep and step down to the ground. A great time to start the next bound is when the second foot makes contact with the ground.

Movement Prep

10 Seconds Small Hops

10 Seconds Tall Hops

4 Box Step-ups (each leg)

4 Box Step-overs (total, with pivot)

2 Box Jump Overs

Deadlift

Press, Not Pull

A deadlift is typically thought of as a pulling exercise. However, when athletes envision pulling the bar off the ground, there is a tendency to use more of the back than necessary. A slight paradigm shift can help them use more of the legs and save the lower back. In the set-up position at the bottom, the shins should be just forward of vertical. As athletes “press” into the floor, they use the quads, glutes, and hamstrings togethers as the knees track backwards. We want to avoid going totally vertical with the shins as this utilizes more back than legs. A slight “squat” back down to the floor while still maintaining a straight bar path will help find this position from rep to rep.

Finish Position

Just as we want to maintain a neutral back during the active portion of the deadlift, we also want athletes finding a solid natural finish position. It is commonly seen when athletes are trying to reach full extension at the top of each rep for the shoulder to lean back and the hips to come forward. This puts the lower back into an arched position. At the top of each rep, we want to stand like we would in everyday lift. The shoulders are right over the hips, the hips over the knees, and the knees over the ankles.

Movement Prep

Establish Start Position

5 Reps – Shins to Knees

Establish Finish Position

5 Reps – Knees to Hips

5 Full Deadlifts

Push Jerk

Launch & Land

Similar to the thought process on the box jump overs, we want to get as much power from the hips as possible before we land. Launching the bar off the shoulders with the legs will allow athletes to better receive each repetitions with a locked out elbow.

Controlled Dip

In the push jerk and the push press, maintaining an upright torso and elbow position will determine how a lift feels, where the bar ends up, or if it is made successfully at heavier loads. The culprit of a forward torso or elbows dropping could be the speed of the dip. Slowing the dip down slightly will allow athletes to be aware of their positioning before launching the bar off with the legs. The more efficient athletes move here, the more likely it is that they are able to hold on for all 9 reps each round.

Movement Prep

5 Strict Press

Establish Dip Position

5 Push Press

Establish Land Position

5 Push Jerks

Build to lighter weight

Tuesday 10.16.18

Run

Bike Pedal, Not Elliptical

If you’ve ever been on an elliptical, you know that the feet travel very far forward and very far behind the body. On the opposite spectrum, when we ride bikes, the feet remain directly under the hips. When we run, we want our feet to mimic the motion of the bike, not the elliptical. When the feet come very far in front, we quite literally put the breaks on our run. If they are coming far out front, they will also swing far behind the body, utilizing more of the hip flexors than the posterior chain. Slightly leaning forward and the ankle and keeping the feet under the center of mass with make for a more efficient run.

Row

Handles Clear the Knees

One of the biggest faults we see is the knees leading the way back to the catch position. If this is the case, it is unlikely that athletes will actually find an appropriate catch position. This can be defined as vertical shins with the shoulders slightly forward of the hips. In this position, the seat will be about a foot away from the seat. Athletes will keep the legs extended until the hands clear the knees before the torso leans forward and the knees bend to slide the seat down the rail. With a longer time domain and a little more pacing involved, it will be easier for athletes to focus on this and find a proper catch position.

Pull-ups

Feet Together, Legs Long

The tighter you stay, the less you weight. Keeping the feet together and the legs long keeps all the energy moving in the same direction. When the knees bend or the legs and feet move independently of each other, the energy spills out in different directions. With only 5 pull-ups at a time, it is easier for athletes to dial this in.

Movement Substitutions

Reduce Reps

Jumping Pull-ups

Banded Pull-ups

Row

Push-ups

Straight Body

Looking to have head, shoulders, hips, knees, and toes all in a straight line during every rep. The chest sometimes presses up first, arching the back and causing athletes to press a lower percentage of their body weight. Moving up to a bench or a box will ensure that they are pressing the appropriate amount of their weight while maintaining a good position.

Movement Substitutions

Reduce Reps

Elevate Onto Box or Bench

Knee Push-ups

Air Squats

Maintain Tension

With the air squat most likely being the easier movement of this workout, it is common for athletes to relax the body on points of performance. Looking to do the common uncommonly well on these repetitions. Staying active in the bottom of each squat rather than letting the core relax and shoulders hunch forward will actually make this less effort. Keeping the core on while sending the hips down and back will give athletes a nice stretch reflex at the bottom, assisting them with a spring out of the bottom instead of a crash.

Wednesday 10.17.18

Double Unders

Relax the Wrists

The wrists are the main movers of the rope on double unders. It is common for athletes to death grip the handle with the thought that this will help them spin the rope faster. Having an aggressive grip on the handle actually makes it harder for athletes to rotate at the wrist, putting most of the load in the shoulders. Relaxing the grip will better allow athletes to rotate at the wrists.

Pogo Stick

A pogo stick is a fixed structure that is made to bounce straight up and down. We want to think of our bodies as pogo sticks. The bottom half of a pogo stick can’t bend forward or backwards. What happens in the lower body is one of the most important aspects of the double under. While is may be possible to complete some double unders by doing so, keeping the bound straight up and down will lead to better synchronization with the hands and create better habits in the long run.

Movement Substitutions

Reduce Reps

60 Single Unders

:30 Seconds Double Under Practice

30 Lateral Line Hops

Movement Prep

:15 Seconds Single Unders

:15 Seconds Double Taps

:15 Seconds Double Under Practice

*Practicing timing of the double under. With a straight jump in the air, athletes will double tap low on the thigh to simulate a double under without the rope.

Toes to Bar

Starts in the Shoulders

When athletes struggle to find rhythm in the kip swing, the culprit is often the shoulders. What the hips are doing is often prioritized, but the kipping motion starts in the shoulders. The press down into the bar and the pull through is what initiates movement. When the hips lead the way is when athletes find themselves swinging from the bar instead of being balanced. The larger the range of motion, the more work the shoulders have to do.

Big Kip vs. Tight Kip

Is a big kip better or a tight kip better? A big kip is only more beneficial if athletes are able to stay in a tight position. What is often seen is athletes create a giant kip, only to bend their knees and internally rotate the shoulders to create more range of motion. In this position, it is much harder to maintain tension from rep to rep. A smaller, but tighter kip is the better option. Athletes should only go as big on their kip as they are able to stay in solid hollow and arch positions.

Movement Substitutions

Reduce Reps

Feet as High as Possible

Knees to Chest

Knees to Waist

Sit-ups

GHD Sit-ups

Movement Prep

10 Scap Pull-ups

5 Kip Swings

5 Knees to Chest

5 Toes to Bar

Power Cleans

Weight Back

In the double unders, the weight is primarily forward on the foot. When we approach the barbell for power cleans, our body has been used to being on the toes. Athletes really have to focus on keeping the weight back during this movement. If the weight stays forward on the foot, the bar will also travel forward.

Find the Pockets

Looking to find the pockets on each rep today. When athletes miss the pockets, the are pulling the bar from much further down on the legs, creating more work for themselves. Pulling from the knee requires more of a “jump” than pulling from the pockets. With a lot of jumping in the workout to begin with, finding the pockets will maximize efficiency in this workout.

Movement Prep

Establish Pocket Position

Establish Receiving Position

3 High Hang Power Cleans

3 Hang Power Cleans

3 Power Cleans

Build to workout weight

Thursday 10.18.18

Back Squat

Midline

One thing we often see is athletes who relax at the bottom of the range of motion of the squat. This is seen on both air squats and loaded squats. A tell tale sign of this is the “butt wink” where the pelvis shoots under the body. Keeping the midline engaged throughout the entirety of the squat will keep athletes in a safe position and help them generate more power out of the bottom of each repetition.

Spread the Floor

One way to get properly aligned and maintain tension in the squat is to spread the floor. There is sometimes the tendency for the knees to come in or for the weight to track towards the inside of the foot. Spreading the floor with the feet will work to create torque in the legs and track the knees in the right position.

Bench Press

Be the Bench

Looking for several points of contact on the bench that are active throughout the lift. Head, shoulder blades, glutes, and both feet should be in contact with either the bench or the floor. Squeezing the butt, pressing the feet through the floor, and squeezing the shoulder blades under will create for a stable platform to press from. Pretend like you are an extension of the bench.

Bar Path

It is common for athletes to make bar contract too high up the body. In this position, if put the front of the shoulder in a more compromised position. Starting and finishing with the bar right over the bottom of the breastbone will allow athletes to get the most out of their chest and triceps and keep the shoulders safe.

Deadlift

Squeeze, Not Grip and Rip

When athletes are trying to move quickly through deadlifts, they often tend to grip and rip the barbell in order to move through them as quickly as possible. With high reps and ascending weight, we want to set the tone from the onset of the workout. Squeezing the bar off the floor with the legs will keep the back safe and recruit more muscle.

Head Neutral

It is common in the deadlift to arch the neck as the bar descends down the body. This creates a break in the chain and causes athletes to overextend the spine. Keeping the head neutral will ensure athletes can stay in a safe, connected, and powerful position.

Build to all weights for the three movements.

Friday 10.19.18

Bike

Knees In

It is common on the bike for the knees to flare out towards the outer edge of the pedal. If we were to step on a bug on the ground, we get the most power by kicking straight down. Same goes for the bike. Keeping the knees stacked over the pedals allows for maximum power.

Arms

Getting the arms involved increases the total amount of power athletes can put into the bike. While we still want the legs as the main power generator, pressing and pulling with the arms will spike up the RPMs and help clear the bike quicker.

Row

Fast Handle

A quick return of the handle back towards the monitor accomplishes a few things. One, if the handle travels forwards first before the torso and the knees, we are looking at a better catch position than the opposite. This organizes athletes body to generate as much power as possible with every stroke. A quick handle in a faster workout also increases the stroke rate and helps athletes clear that station faster.

Sprint Start

At the start of every row, we often see athletes utilize several quick bends of the arms before completing one full stroke. Taking the opposite approach however will bump the power up and help accumulate those first few calories faster. Instead of the small pulls at the beginning, have athletes start with one long and strong full stroke. Following this stoke, they will quickly make their way back towards the monitor in small increments. Thinking 6 strokes as fast as possible before returning to normal rate:

Full Stroke

Just Arms

Arms And Torso

Quarter Slide

Half Slide

Full Slide

Transitions

With as many transitions as there are today, each one is important. Keeping the straps slightly loose will make for an easy entrance and exit for each partner. Making sure to aggressively kick up and pull down will ensure the feet get out without catching anything.

Pull-ups

Wrap the Thumbs

Looking to wrap the thumb around the bar as opposed to having it over the bar for multiple reasons. The first is safety. Coming off two high intensity machines, we want to best ensure that athletes will not fall off the bar. Second reason being that wrapping the thumb helps create more torque in the shoulder. We know that this torque, or tension is of great importance in gymnastics movements for its ability to keep the body moving as one unit. It is sometimes more comfortable for the athletes to have the thumbs over the bar, but it comes with a cost. This position allows them to find a greater range of motion, but this range of motion is often “stolen” by internally rotating the shoulders or bending the elbows. This is a break in the system, resulting in a loss of tension, and put the shoulder in a less than ideal position.

Toes – Hips

In order to stay in a solid hollow position during the pull-ups, we want athletes leading their way up towards the bar with the toes first. It is commonly seen that the lower half of the legs stays behind the body as athletes leads with the hips. Athletes will feel significantly heavier in this position. The tighter you stay, the less you weight. Making a kicking motion with the feel press tightly together before popping the hip will help athletes find the weightless moment we are looking for.